Blomberg-Fritsch Affair

The Blomberg-Fritsch Affair was two related scandals in early 1938 which resulted in the subjugation of the German Wehrmacht armed forces to Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler. Hitler persecuted the high-ranking military leaders Werner von Fritsch and Werner von Blomberg, as he regarded them as too hesitant towards the war preparations he was demanding. The affair began soon after Von Blomberg's 12 January 1938 marriage to Erna Gruhn, who had a long criminal record (including prostitution and posing for pornographic photos). Blomberg refused to annul his controversial marriage, and he instead decided to resign on 27 January 1938 after Hermann Goering threatened to make his wife's past public knowledge. On 4 February 1938, Werner von Fritsch was forced to resign after being accused of homosexuality and being an opponent of the Nazi regime. The resignations of these two major opponents of Hitler from the military allowed for Hitler to take over the military, but the affair would also lead to an increase in members of secret German Resistance cabals within the military, many of whom were angered by Hitler's attacks on the military.